30 Things Nobody Knew We Could Cook In The Microwave

1. Bake A Cake

Image source: Reddit

Great news for those who don't have the patience to wait until their homemade cake is ready to take out of the oven.  A chocolate cake, made in a mug, takes ..... 90 seconds!  Just as amazing, a three layer cake that serves up to twelve people, will be ready in 10 minutes in the microwave.

2. Make Potato Chips

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Forget a deep fryer when attempting to make your own potato chips!  Simply cut very thin slices of potato in vegetable oil, lay them out in a single layer in a dish suitable for microwave use and set the timer for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are brown.  Let them cool and tuck in!

3. Steam Veggies

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The key to perfectly steamed vegetables is not by using your steamer basket but in the microwave.  All you have to do is to toss the veggies in a microwave safe bowl, add a little boiling water, cover the bowl with a plate and allow the heat from the microwave to do the rest.

4. Cook Eggs Any Way

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Eggs can come out a treat when cooked in the microwave.  This applies to scrambled, sunny side up, poached or hard boiled.  Less messy than in a pan, using less or no oil, with near perfect results makes this hack a good alternative.  Try it - you'll be pleasantly surprised!

5. Crisp Up Your Food

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When we think of microwaving foods, we tend to think of it as heating stuff up. but get this.  If you have the right tools, your microwave can be used as a crisper.  You can pick up a crisper pan for about $12 and it will be one of the best purchases you have ever made.  Watch that pizza come back to life!

6. Cloves

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Peeling garlic is one of those fiddly tasks you could do without.  If you microwave full heads of garlic for around 20 seconds, you will find the papery peel comes away easily.  The steam breaks the chemical bonds between the garlic and the skin, so making it really easy to peel them.

7. Make Parmesan Cheese Crisps Or Baskets

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Parmesan cheese crisps are the best.  If you microwave grated Parmesan or Romana cheese that has been molded around an upside down little bowl, the hot cheese will harden in the shape of the bowl and there you have your very own cheese crisp basket.

8. Dry Fresh Herbs

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You can dry fresh herbs using your microwave and it couldn't be easier.  Place a few branches of herbs between two paper towels and microwave them for a couple of minutes to turn them brittle and dry.  It's preferable to use this method as opposed to the oven as more of the flavor is held in.

9. Encourage Dough To Rise

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There's no doubt that homemade bread is delicious but it takes time, waiting for the dough to rise etc.  Save yourself a few hours by warming up the dough on a low power setting in your microwave. Shape it and put it back in again to rise and instead of having to wait 45 minutes, you can get the same results in 10 minutes.

10. Dry Those Onion Tears

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Discard the goggles you wear when you're chopping onions and stick the onion in the microwave instead.  Firstly cut off the tips off the onion and microwave for 30 seconds.  You'll find that when you now start chopping it, there's not the sign of even a single tear.

11. Cook Risotto

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Risotto, a Northern Italian rice specialty, requires lots of stirring, with the worry that you may over-cook it.  When you don't have the time or the patience to cook a risotto, place it in the microwave for 15-18 minutes while you sit on the sofa with your feet up, catching up on your favorite program.

12. Cook Bacon

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If you tend to cook bacon only at the weekends because you don't want to deal with the greasy mess it makes, problem solved!  By cooking bacon strips on a microwave safe plate, lined with kitchen paper, you can cook and drain the fat from the bacon in just the one step.  No mess and delicious bacon!

13. Make Peanut Brittle

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You can cut down on lots of time and mess by making peanut brittle in the microwave.  The taste and texture will be the same as when you bake it traditionally in the oven and it takes less than half the time to make.  If anything, it can end up being even more crispy and less sticky.

14. Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

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If you don't want to make a whole tray of chocolate chip cookies, for whatever reason, then we have the answer.  Microwave the cookie mixture in individual portions, in small ramekins or in mugs.  It's so easy that you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!  Enjoy.

15. Soak Dried Beans

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If you forgot to soak your dried beans last night, you can still have them ready in time for dinner.  Put your dried beans in the microwave along with three  cups of water for every  cup of beans.  Then microwave them on high for about 15 minutes until they start to boil and allow them to stand for an hour.  They will then be fully ready to cook with.

16. Shuck Corn

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Similar to sticking your garlic in the microwave, you can do the same with removing the husks from corn.  Even better, you won't be left with the strings that always seem to stay attached.  Cut off the stalk end of the cob, put in the microwave for 30 seconds and grab the cob by the uncut end of the stalk, giving it a shake.  The corn will slide straight out.

17. Foam The Milk or your Latte

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Forget a frothing gadget.  If you want to make a latte at home, complete with foam, then try this.  Pour milk into a jar and shake it for about a minute until it starts to go foamy.  Then place it in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. The heat will stabilize the foam so it won’t dissolve in your latte when you pour it in.  It will sit on the top

18. Prepare Citrus Fruits For Squeezing

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When you take an orange or lemon out of the refrigerator and squeeze it into a cup, you will struggle to get all the juice out of it.  If you microwave the citrus fruit for literally ten seconds and then slice it in half, you'll be able to get every last drop from the fruit.  Easy when you know how!

19. Toast Almonds

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The microwave is a convenient and easy way to roast or toast nuts, maybe even better than doing so on the stove. Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a microwave plate, pop them in for one minute intervals and then rearrange them so they roast evenly.  Keep tasting until they are right for your own liking.

20. Peel Thin Skinned Fruits

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Microwaves are brilliant at peeling fruits that have very thin skins.  Whether it's peaches or tomatoes, by microwaving for five minutes, you will see the skin start to wrinkle and you can then peel it right off.  It's satisfying, saves time and makes you feel pleased with yourself!

21. Cook Seabass

Image source: InterChef

By placing seabass fillets in a microwave dish and adding a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper, you are all ready to have the perfect fish in under three minutes.  The dish should be covered with microwave-safe wrap, with a little vent in it for the steam to escape, before cooking.

22. Revive Stale Bread

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Don't throw stale bread out.  If you wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave it for 10 seconds, the bread will soften up.  If you don't want to use a paper towel, put a glass of water in the microwave with the bread and the steam will bring the bread back to its former glory.

23. Pickles

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This recipe actually blows our minds!  You can make pickles in minutes in the microwave instead of waiting months!  Throw pickling spices in a bowl and add sugar, vinegar, onions and cucumbers. Microwave for 8 minutes and they are ready!  What's more, they taste amazing.And they’re ready for eating. Nothing sour about that.

24. Fuse Glass With Microwave Kiln

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Did you know that your microwave can also double up as a kiln? You can purchase a microwavable kiln kit which will let you fuse jewelry pieces and glass in a few minutes.  The ceramic in the kiln will act like a magnifying glass to focus the heat.  This allows the pieces to fuse together.  How clever is that?

25. Dye Yarn

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Your microwave is an actual crafting piece of apparatus!  You can dye silk or wool using the colors of Kool-Aid.  Mix the drink powder into some water, add the wool and microwave for about 10 minutes.  The heat will bond the color on to the fiber and it won't fade.

26. Make A Soap Cloud

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When you put a bar of soap in the microwave for 3 minutes, you will be amazed at what happens.  The soap grows in size and turns into a squishy cloud.  You can then mold it with your fingers into whatever shape you want.  Be sure to use a good quality soap for greater effect.

27. Remove A Stamp From An Envelope

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If you need to remove a stamp from an envelope (maybe for your stamp collection), you can easily peel it off with any damage.  Put a few drops of water on the stamp, stick it in the microwave for 20 seconds and the stamp will then be ready for you to ease it off.

28. Sterilize Soil

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If you are going to be planting seeds, you might want to sterilize the soil first.  You can purchase pre-sterilized potting mixes but if you are using the dirt from your garden, you can use your microwave to get rid of pests and diseases.  Put two pounds of dirt in a large container with a vented lid.  Zap for 90 seconds in the microwave and you're ready to plant.

29. Test If Your Dishes Are Microwave Safe

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If you aren't sure that your dishes are microwave safe, here's a handy tip.  Fill a cup (that you know is safe) with water and place it on the item that you want to test.  Microwave both for one minute and if the dish is warm but the water is hot, then it's not suitable for microwave use.

30. Cook A Meal From Scratch!

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Microwaves are not purely for leftovers. They can be promoted to the main event when it comes to cooking a full meal.  If you follow instructions, your microwave can rustle up chicken and dumplings, along with the veggies.  It can do enchiladas if you fancy those?